{{short description|English football club}} {{Use British English|date=June 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Needham Market | image = Needham Market FC crest.svg | fullname = Needham Market Football Club | nickname = The Marketmen | founded = 1919 | ground = Bloomfields, [[Needham Market]] | capacity = | chairman = Keith Nunn | manager = Tom Rothery | league = {{English football updater|NeedhamM}} | season = {{English football updater|NeedhamM2}} | position = {{English football updater|NeedhamM3}} | pattern_la1=_yellowborder|pattern_b1=_yellow_collar|pattern_ra1=_yellowborder|pattern_sh1=_yellowsides|pattern_so1=_yellowtop|leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=FF0000|socks1=FF0000 | pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_amber_sleeve_seams|pattern_ra2=|pattern_so2=|leftarm2=191970|body2=191970|rightarm2=191970|shorts2=191970|socks2=FFD700 }}
'''Needham Market Football Club''' is a [[association football|football]] club based in [[Needham Market]], Suffolk, England. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|NeedhamM}} and play at Bloomfields.
==History== Although records show the existence of a Needham Market Football Club during the late 1890s, the modern club was officially established in 1919.<ref name=H>[http://www.needhammarketfc.co.uk/documents/193275 History] Needham Market FC</ref> They subsequently joined the [[Suffolk and Ipswich Football League|Ipswich & District League]]. After finishing as runners-up in Division 3A in 1930–31 and 1931–32, the club were promoted to Division Two A. They went on to win Division Two A in 1932–33 and were runners-up the following season. After [[World War II]] they won the Division Two title in 1946–47 and went on to win Division One in 1952–53.<ref name=Hon>[http://www.needhammarketfc.co.uk/documents/193278 Honours]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Needham Market F.C.</ref> The club won the League Cup in 1977–78 and again in 1979–80. However, they finished bottom of the Senior Division in 1983–84 and were relegated to Division One.<ref name=NLM1>[http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/nlmnet/Aarg3E/ASaI79.html Suffolk & Ipswich League 1979–1999 + 2000–2004] Non-League Matters</ref> However, they won the Suffolk Junior Cup the following season.<ref name=Hon/>
In 1986–87 Needham Market were Division One runners-up, earning promotion back to the Senior Division.<ref name=NLM1/> They went on to win the [[Suffolk Senior Cup]] in 1989–90. In 1995–96 the club were Senior Division champions,<ref name=Hon/> and were promoted to Division One of the [[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League]].<ref name=FCHD>{{fchd|id=NEEDHAMM|name=Needham Market}}</ref> They were Division One runners-up in [[2004–05 Eastern Counties Football League|2004–05]] and were promoted to the Premier Division, winning the Suffolk Senior Cup in the same season.<ref name=Hon/> In 2006–07 the club win the East Anglian Cup, before going on to finish as runners-up in the Premier Division and win the League Challenge Cup and the [[Suffolk Premier Cup]] in 2007–08,<ref name=Hon/> as well as reaching the semi-finals of the [[FA Vase]], losing 4–2 on aggregate to [[AFC Fylde|Kirkham & Wesham]].
The 2009–10 season saw Needham Market win the Premier Division title and the League Cup double, earning promotion to Division One North of the [[Isthmian League]]. In their [[2010–11 Isthmian League|first season]] in Division One, Needham finished as runners-up, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, they lost 3–1 at home to [[Brentwood Town F.C.|Brentwood Town]] in the semi-finals. The [[2011–12 Isthmian League|following season]] the club finished third and reached the play-off final, but lost 1–0 to [[Enfield Town F.C.|Enfield Town]]. They qualified for the play-offs again after finishing fifth in [[2013–14 Isthmian League|2013–14]], this time losing 1–0 to [[Witham Town F.C.|Witham Town]] in the semi-finals.<ref name=FCHD/> The club went on to win the division the [[2014–15 Isthmian League|following season]], earning promotion to the Premier Division.<ref name=FCHD/> In 2016–17 they won the Suffolk Premier Cup for a second time.<ref name=Hon/>
Needham Market were transferred to the Premier Central division of the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] at the end of the [[2017–18 Isthmian League|2017–18 season]] as part of the restructuring of the non-League pyramid. In 2019–20 the club won the Suffolk Premier Cup, defeating [[Lowestoft Town F.C.|Lowestoft Town]] 4–3 on aggregate in the two-legged final. In [[2022–23 FA Cup|2022–23]] they reached the first round of the [[FA Cup]] for the first time, losing 2–0 at [[Burton Albion F.C.|Burton Albion]]. The club were Premier Division Central champions in [[2023–24 Southern Football League|2023–24]], earning promotion to the [[National League North]]. They finished third-from-bottom of the National League North the [[2024–25 National League|following season]] and were relegated back to the Southern League's Premier Division Central.
===Reserve team=== The club's reserve team played in the [[Essex and Suffolk Border Football League|Essex & Suffolk Border League]], winning Division Two in 1998–99.<ref>[http://esblfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ESBFL-Official-Handbook-2016-2017.pdf 2016–17 Handbook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305003713/http://esblfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ESBFL-Official-Handbook-2016-2017.pdf |date=5 March 2017 }} Essex & Suffolk Border League</ref> In 2013 they joined Division One of the Eastern Counties League.
==Ground== The club initially played at Young's Meadow, before relocating to Crowley Park.<ref name=H/> In 1996 they moved to a new ground, buying the site after former player Arthur Rodwell died and left the club money, which was used together with a grant from the [[National Lottery (United Kingdom)|National Lottery]].<ref name=H/> The new ground was named Bloomfields after former player and clubman Derrick Bloomfield.<ref name=H/>
A new record attendance of 750 was set for a [[Suffolk Premier Cup]] match against [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town reserves]] during the 2006–07 season. This was beaten when a crowd of 1,375 watched the FA Vase semi-final against Kirkham & Wesham in 2008. Another new record was set on 26 October 2013 when 1,748 saw the club play [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]] in an [[FA Cup]] fourth qualifying round game.<ref name=Hon/>
In 2018 a 3G pitch with a 50-seat stand and new changing rooms were installed within the Bloomfields complex, which is used by the reserve team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/new-750-000-3g-facility-at-needham-market-fc-will-include-community-cafe-1-5062961|title=New £750,000 3G facility at Needham Market FC will include community cafe|last=Brammer|first=Chris|website=East Anglian Daily Times|language=en|access-date=2020-01-30}}</ref>
==Current squad== {{updated|28 July 2025}} <ref name="Needham Market">{{cite web | title = Needham Market | url = http://www.needhammarketfc.co.uk/teams/1st-Team/players/306254 | website= Needham Market FC | access-date = 22 August 2022}}</ref> {{Football squad start|nonumber=-|bg=FF0000|color=FFD700|border=000}}{{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=GK|name={{sortname|Joe|Bradbrook|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=DF|name={{sortname|Jake|Dye|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=DF|name={{sortname|Dan|Morphew|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=DF|name={{sortname|Kieran|Morphew|nolink=1}}|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=DF|name={{sortname|Tommy|Smith|Tommy Smith (footballer, born 2001)}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=MF|name={{sortname|Myles|Cowling|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=MF|name={{sortname|Kyle|Hammond|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=MF|name={{sortname|Ben|Hunter|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad mid|nonumber=yes|bg=FF0000|color=FFD700|border=000}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=Bermuda|pos=MF|name={{sortname|Reggie|Lambe|Reggie Lambe}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=MF|name={{sortname|Ollie|Saunders|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=FW|name={{sortname|Seth|Chambers|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=FW|name={{sortname|Luke|Ingram|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=FW|name={{sortname|Jamie|McGrath|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=FW|name={{sortname|Ryan|Miles|nolink=1}}}} {{Football squad player|nonumber=yes|nat=England|pos=FW|name={{sortname|Joe|Neal|Joe Neal (footballer)}}}} {{Football squad end}}
==Management and coaching staff== ===Boardroom=== {{updated|13 November 2020}} <ref name="Needham Market"/> {| class="wikitable sortable" ! style="background:#FF0000; color:#FFD700; border:2px solid #000;" scope="col"|Position ! style="background:#FF0000; color:#FFD700; border:2px solid #000;" scope="col"|Name |- {{Fb cs staff |bg= |p=Chairman |s={{flagicon|ENG}} Keith Nunn}} |}
===Current staff=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! style="background:#FF0000; color:#FFD700; border:2px solid #000;" scope="col"|Position ! style="background:#FF0000; color:#FFD700; border:2px solid #000;" scope="col"|Name |- {{Fb cs staff |bg=y |p=Assistant Manager |s={{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Rothery}} {{Fb cs staff |bg= |p=Player-Assistant Manager & Goalkeeping Coach |s={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Nathan Munson]]}} {{Fb cs staff |bg= |p=First Team Coach |s={{flagicon|ENG}} Patrick Brothers}} {{Fb cs staff |bg=y |p=Sports Therapist |s={{flagicon|ENG}} Kim Baldwin}} |}
==Honours== *'''Southern League''' **Premier Division Central champions 2023–24 *'''Isthmian League''' **Division One North champions 2014–15 *'''Eastern Counties League''' **Premier Division champions 2009–10 **League Cup winners 2007–08, 2009–10 *'''Suffolk & Ipswich League''' **Senior Division champions 1995–96 **Division One champions 1952–53 **Division Two champions 1946–47 **Division Two A champions 1932–33 **League Cup winners 1977–78, 1979–80 *'''Suffolk Premier Cup''' **Winners 2007–08, 2016–17, 2019–20 *'''Suffolk Senior Cup''' **Winners 1989–90, 2004–05 *'''Suffolk Junior Cup''' **Winners 1984–85 *'''East Anglian Cup''' **Winners 2006–07
==Records== *Best FA Cup performance: First round, [[2022–23 FA Cup|2022–23]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Best FA Trophy performance: Quarter-finals, [[2021–22 FA Trophy|2021–22]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Best FA Vase performance: Semi-finals, [[2007–08 FA Vase|2007–08]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Record attendance: 1,784 vs [[Cambridge United]], FA Cup fourth qualifying round, 26 October 2013<ref name=Hon/> *Biggest win: 10–1 vs [[Ipswich Wanderers F.C.|Ipswich Wanderers]], 1 September 2007, FA Cup preliminary round<ref name=Hon/> *Heaviest defeat: 6–0 vs [[Wingate & Finchley F.C.|Wingate & Finchley]], 8 September 2015, Isthmian League Premier Division<ref name=Hon/> *Most appearances: Rhys Barber, 365 (2006–2012)<ref name=Hon/> *Most goals: Sam Newson, 134 (2010–2015)<ref name=Hon/> *Most goals in a season: Craig Parker, 40 (2010–11)<ref name=Hon/>
==See also== *{{c|Needham Market F.C. players}} *{{c|Needham Market F.C. managers}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.needhammarketfc.co.uk Official website]
{{Southern League}} {{Eastern Counties League}} {{coord|52|09|02.64|N|1|02|40.72|E|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
[[Category:Needham Market F.C.| ]] [[Category:Men's football clubs in England]] [[Category:Football clubs in Suffolk]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1919]] [[Category:1919 establishments in England]] [[Category:Needham Market]] [[Category:Suffolk and Ipswich Football League]] [[Category:Eastern Counties Football League]] [[Category:Isthmian League clubs]] [[Category:Southern Football League clubs]] [[Category:National League (English football) clubs]]